animesucks2012-12-10 11:32:12 AMhe may have initially had amnesia, but he doesn't anymore. he knows who he is, but he isn't all that happy with his former life as a lonely, homeless man. now he's just an attention whore trying to get his fake name out there and see whatever free stuff can be provided for him. he likes to tell this story for sympathy and you're all falling for it.

/i don't actually have any idea what i'm talking about

I was a member at WS still am... but this was the gist of it. He did not want his old life because he was quite happy with his new one.

WarszawaScream:That's mentioned in TFA, and there's a blurb about how he worked at a kitchen and 'instinctually' knew how to repair and operate things there, so he thinks the Reddit folks are onto something.

Or it could be that he simply has an aptitude for mechanical systems, which could also mean he's a self taught software developer, for instance. So I don't think they are on to something, personally. On to a rabbit hole, sure...

A few years ago, a Website called Websleuths began pouring in hours into the Benjaman Kyle story, trying to solve the case. One day, a moderator proclaimed, it was a hoax- due to some discrepancies between the reports of how he was found. Here's a quote from Neil Forsyth's article in The Guardian.

"In 2007 Kyle became one of the site's most popular cases until, on 3 April, Griffith posted a 350-word entry claiming that she and others had evidence Kyle wasn't beaten and so was a fraud. The 18-page discussion that followed contained two pieces of apparent evidence. The first was that Richmond Hill police had told a Websleuths member Kyle was not unconscious when found and was able to talk but chose not to do so.However, Harold Copus, an investigator with more than a decade's experience as an FBI case manager, who was brought in by the Dr Phil show to look into Kyle's story, supports his version of events. "I spoke to the EMTs [paramedics], Burger King staff and responding police officers. Not only was Kyle unconscious when he was found, they thought he was dead." Copus confirms that Kyle's fingerprints have been checked against the FBI's files on both criminal and civil cases, the most comprehensive search possible. Kyle also cooperated with a linguist (who agreed that a midwest background was likely) and Copus talks about taking Kyle to an "expensive doctor in Atlanta" who reviewed "Kyle's medical situation from the moment he was found".

In my own research for the documentary, I tried to obtain the original police reports from the Richmond Hill Police Department. Sadly, they no longer exist. And when you do look at the information provided by websleuths, there do seem to be differences between the stories, but more disturbingly, the original report is gone.

Because of the strange circumstances of the case, proper care was not taken on the crime scene, or for the subsequent paperwork. To this day, it is used as an example to police t ...

iwanttobelieve.jpg

The story is repeated until it becomes true.

The guy got what he wanted, a fresh start and now notoriety.

You don't have to listen to me, though, I am a life long cynic. This case sets off my stink meter.

he may have initially had amnesia, but he doesn't anymore. he knows who he is, but he isn't all that happy with his former life as a lonely, homeless man. now he's just an attention whore trying to get his fake name out there and see whatever free stuff can be provided for him. he likes to tell this story for sympathy and you're all falling for it.

A few years ago, a Website called Websleuths began pouring in hours into the Benjaman Kyle story, trying to solve the case. One day, a moderator proclaimed, it was a hoax- due to some discrepancies between the reports of how he was found. Here's a quote from Neil Forsyth's article in The Guardian.

"In 2007 Kyle became one of the site's most popular cases until, on 3 April, Griffith posted a 350-word entry claiming that she and others had evidence Kyle wasn't beaten and so was a fraud. The 18-page discussion that followed contained two pieces of apparent evidence. The first was that Richmond Hill police had told a Websleuths member Kyle was not unconscious when found and was able to talk but chose not to do so.However, Harold Copus, an investigator with more than a decade's experience as an FBI case manager, who was brought in by the Dr Phil show to look into Kyle's story, supports his version of events. "I spoke to the EMTs [paramedics], Burger King staff and responding police officers. Not only was Kyle unconscious when he was found, they thought he was dead." Copus confirms that Kyle's fingerprints have been checked against the FBI's files on both criminal and civil cases, the most comprehensive search possible. Kyle also cooperated with a linguist (who agreed that a midwest background was likely) and Copus talks about taking Kyle to an "expensive doctor in Atlanta" who reviewed "Kyle's medical situation from the moment he was found".

In my own research for the documentary, I tried to obtain the original police reports from the Richmond Hill Police Department. Sadly, they no longer exist. And when you do look at the information provided by websleuths, there do seem to be differences between the stories, but more disturbingly, the original report is gone.

Because of the strange circumstances of the case, proper care was not taken on the crime scene, or for the subsequent paperwork. To this day, it is used as an example to police trainees in Georgia on how to not conduct a crime scene. So, yes, Websleuth's conclusion that some of the details are hazy is correct, since the case was not given the proper documentation. But their conclusion, that this man is faking his condition, and doesn't know who he is, is not.

For some reason this guy just screams ex- military to me. I retired from the Armed Forces and can think of only 2 "organizations" that require a complete wipe of former identity, neither of which he would ever find through public channels.

That and he has a very slight pacific northwest accent, definitely not a Georgian where he was found.

Very odd story, with this much exposure no one has stepped forward to recognize him.

this is why you should always have some close friends or family members who would try to figure out what happened to you if you ever disappeared mysteriously. it's possible this guy lived alone, had no family, shifted from job to job, no real close friends. so if he gets amnesia and disappears, no one would think to go looking for him. his only real hope is that someone recognizes him.

No mention of how the websleuths board considers this to be a hoax? Part of their claim is that the initial police report, medical exam and interview with responding officer all claim there was no sign of physical injury on Kyle while he keeps playing up the 'near death,' serious injury aspect in the documentaries.

If he has no idea who he is or how he got there, how does he know he's 64 years old? In the article, he mentions being that age and "due to my social and economic background, I figure I have 10 years left"

If he has no idea who he is or how he got there, how does he know he's 64 years old? In the article, he mentions being that age and "due to my social and economic background, I figure I have 10 years left"

Oddly specific....

He said he has some memories - like being exactly 10 years older than Michael Jackson. But yes, it's oddly specific.

He did an AMA on Reddit, mostly to ask for help in getting a new SSN - but it was odd. Lots of people offered to help finding out his actual identity, but he didn't seem all that interested. Either he's already heard everything that's helpful, or he's not that interested in finding out.

If he has no idea who he is or how he got there, how does he know he's 64 years old? In the article, he mentions being that age and "due to my social and economic background, I figure I have 10 years left"

Sounds like the FBI ought to train him...no finger prints or known database records...sounds like he would be a great addition to any undercover operation etc, I mean other than he is probably addicted to bath salts and sleeps in the burger king dumpster...